Why Do You Still Cough After a Cold? Doctors Explain and Provide 4 Ways to Improve

Pictures, texts/Health Today

Many people still cough after recovering from a cold. This is quite common in clinics. Physician Huang Xuan from the Department of Chest Medicine and Critical Care Medicine shares it in his personal community. People often ask such questions. The doctor points out the common reasons and provides 4 ways to improve.

Figure / pixabay

Cold but still coughing? Doctors refer to 4 common causes!

Dr. Huang XuanColds are the most common respiratory infection and usually cause symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose and cough. Although cold symptoms can subside naturally after a period of time, many patients still have persistent cough. There are four common reasons in medicine, including residual pathogens, upper respiratory allergy, bronchitis, and immune overreaction.

Pathogen Residue:
The study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, noted that the virus may remain in the respiratory tract after the infection has ended. These residual pathogens may continue to irritate the respiratory mucosa and cause persistent cough. The reasons include damage to the respiratory mucosa, inflammation, and immune system response caused by the virus.

Upper airway sensitivity:
According to the research published in the journal “Respiratory Medicine”, the upper airway may still be inflamed after a cold, making it more sensitive, which will cause patients to overreact to various stimuli such as dust and smoke, and then cause persistent coughing.

Inflammation of the bronchi:
After the cold is cured, the patient may still be at risk for bronchitis. According to the study in the journal Thoracic Medicine, bronchitis can cause symptoms such as coughing and increased phlegm production, and the course of treatment can be prolonged.

Immune overreaction:
According to the journal “Journal of Allergy and Asthma”, after a cold, the respiratory tract of some patients may experience immune overreaction, which makes the respiratory tract more sensitive to various stimuli and prone to persistent coughing. This situation may be related to factors such as genetics, environmental factors, infection, and allergies.

#黃軒 #咳嗽 #感冒 #慢性咳嗽 #肺纖維化 #哮喘 #肺癌 #肺部感染 — #黄玄#Cough#Cold#Chronic cough#Pulmonary fibrosis#Asthma#Lung cancer#Lung infection

The cold is gone but the cough is still there, 4 strokes of medical education can help improve it!

If people still have a persistent cough after catching a cold, Dr. Huang Xuan also proposed 4 methods to help improve it, including maintaining air humidity, avoiding irritating substances, over-the-counter cough medicine, and bronchodilator treatment.

Maintain air humidity:
Maintaining a moderate humidity level in indoor air can help relieve upper respiratory sensitivity and reduce coughing, according to a study in the journal Indoor Air. Using a humidifier can keep the indoor humidity between 40% and 60%, which can help relieve the irritation of the respiratory mucosa and reduce the occurrence of coughing.

Avoid stimulants:
According to a study published in the journal “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology”, avoiding inhalation of irritating substances can reduce the sensitivity of the respiratory tract to external stimuli and reduce the frequency of coughing, including cigarettes, smoke, dust, perfume, and foods with strong aromas, etc., especially Is the children and the elderly.

Over-the-counter cough medicines:
In a review in the journal “Cochrane System Big Data”, some over-the-counter cough medicines have a certain effect on relieving symptomatic cough, such as guaifenesin and loquat extract. It is also reminded to follow the drug instructions, pay attention to the interaction or adverse reactions with other drugs, and seek medical treatment as soon as possible in case of persistent and severe cough.

Bronchodilator therapy:
Bronchodilators are effective in relieving persistent coughs caused by bronchitis, according to a study in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. It can also be combined with other treatments such as glucocorticoids and antibiotics to achieve better therapeutic effects. When using it, you should pay attention to follow the doctor’s instructions, pay attention to side effects such as palpitations, headaches, tremors, etc., and inform the doctor in time.

Cough more than 21 days early examination, in order to rule out the possibility of more serious diseases!

Dr. Huang Xuan also reminded that if you cough for more than 21 days, you should pay close attention to your physical condition and seek medical advice in time to diagnose and treat potential diseases. For example, more serious ones include asthma, lung infection, lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, etc. Specific circumstances and physician recommendations to choose the appropriate treatment.